Mistreated minorities: Class-IV employees demand dismissal of govt officials

Gul Naz accuses principal of forcing her to do domestic work at her house

PESHAWAR: To protect the rights of minorities working as Class-IV employees and sanitary workers in government offices, a protest was held on Sunday outside Peshawar Press Club.

The minority representatives demanded the dismissal of government officials who considered these employees their personal slaves.

Holding banners and placards, the protesters shouted slogans against the K-P government and demanded protection of the rights of minorities and impoverished Class-IV employees.

On the occasion, Naz Gul, a Christian woman currently working as a sweeper at Regional Institute of Teachers Education (RITE), said she was threatened by college principal Fareeda of dire consequences if she failed to do cleaning at the latter’s house.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Gul said she was an employee of the college and her only duty was to keep the premises clean. She added the principal would force her to do other domestic chores at her house situated in the premises of the college.

“I am not the only one who is forced to work at her house. There are other Class-IV employees who are working as her personal slaves,” she said.

She accused the principal of taking her to Nowshera where she was asked to work at her house for the whole day.  “Our principal also takes us to her house in Nowshera. Once she took us to her nephew’s wedding where she forced us to work as domestic servants.” She said the principal was also trying to terminate her services.

Meanwhile, Gul’s daughter, Sania, said the principal also used to call the employees of the college on off days and asked them to work for her. “On off days, she used to lock the door of the staff room so no one could try to mark attendance on the biometric machine.”

Haroon Sarab Diyal, a minority rights activist said, “As we have the women harassment act and other acts for the protection of rights, we also demand the government introduce similar legislation for minorities.” He added no one has the right to harass financially disadvantaged employees as they have no other choice but to accept the injustice due to abject poverty.

When contacted, RITE Principal Fareeda rejected the allegations. “I only contacted the NADRA office to confirm her date of birth as there are three dates written on her documents,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2016.